Deck lid support



Oct. 6, 1936. F. c. MOCORKELL 2,056,799

DECK LID SUPPORT Filed Aug. 5, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 i1 1 .fig. .5

INVENTOR.

i k/WK C 77c COR/(ELL. 6M M,M "6M ATTORNEYS.

Oct. 6, 1936. F. c MCCORKE'LL 2,056,799

DECK LID SUPPORT Filed Aug. 5, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. FkA/YK C. 77CCOFFKLL ATTORNEYS.

Patented Oct. 6, 1936 UNITED STATES DECK LID SUPPORT Frank C. McCorkell, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Ternstedt Manufacturing Company, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application August 3, 1934, Serial No. 738,170

11 Claims. This invention relates to a lid support and more particularly to a support for an automobile trunk lid or rear deck lid.

In a case of heavy lids such as the rear deck lid or the trunk lid of an automobile, two supports are usually required. If these supports must be individually, manually released to permit lowering of the lid, then the lowering of the lid is usually difiicult. This invention contem plates a lid support which releases automatically upon raising the lid slightly beyond its raised supported position.

Another object of this invention is the production of an automatically releasable deck lid support which is simple in structure, emcient and certain in operation, and rattleproof.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevation partly in section showing in the full lines a rear deck lid in supported raised position and in the dotted lines the raised position of the lid to efi'ect auto-- matic releasing of the support and also the closed positionof the lid and support.

Fig. 2 is a detail showing the hinged mounting of the support.

Fig. 3 is a detail of the dogging end of the prop.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view showing the dogging end of the prop in lid supporting position.

Fig. 5 is a section along the line 5-5 of Fig. 4 with a dotted line showing of the various positionsof the dog in the lid supporting position of the prop and during the automatic releasing of the prop.

' Fig. 6 is a section along the line 5-6 of Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is a section along the line 1-1 of Fig. 4. Fig. 8 is a perspective detail of the dog switching cam insert.

Referring more there is shown at I bile body. This rear partment 2 into through a suitable opening arranged to be closed by the swinging deck lid 3. The swinging deck lid 3 may be mounted from the underside upon a pair of brackets 4 (only one of which is shown) which are pivotally mounted inside the storage compartment 2 to the deck I as at 5.

This invention concerns an automatically releasable support for supporting the lid such as the lid 3. To this end the deck I has riveted or otherwise secured thereto a bracket 6. A prop 7, preferably in the form of a rigid rod, is pivotally mounted at one end upon the bracket 6 and rethe rear deck of an automodeck encloses a storage com- -tained in position by any suitable means such as particularly to the drawings which access may be had the cotter key 9. The other end of the prop 1 is arranged to dog the lid in raised position. This may be accomplished by riveting to the other end of the rod 1 a dogging member 9 which is arranged to travel up and down a suitable track I0 mounted on the underside of the lid 9. The track In as herein shown takes the form of a channel, the side walls of which have an oifset portion ll.

Since this invention contemplates retaining the prop member at all times operatively connected to the track member, to this end the track member has slidably mounted thereon a slide l2. The slide I2 is provided along each side with a pair of inwardly turned lugs I! which engage the offset portions ll of the side walls of the track In thus slidably retaining the slide I2 on the track l9.

The slide I2 is also provided with an opening ll through which the dog 9 passes. The dog 9 is provided with an opening I! having a depending teat IS. A helical coil spring I! is mounted within the opening l5 of the dog 9. One end of the helical coil spring is mounted over the teat I6 and the other end is supported upon a bridge piece It which extends across the opening It in the slide I 2 and through the opening it in the dog 9. This helical coil spring I! yieldably retains the dog 9 in engagement with the bottom IQ of the track l0 and permits the dog 9 to shift back and forth across the track It. The coil spring I! also retains the lugs "of the slide I Zjn yieldable engagement with the oifset portions it of the track walls. This construction of the slide and dog member, due to the abovementioned functioning of the coil spring IT, at all times holds the dog and slide member in yieldable non-rattling relation with the track. The coil spring also serves theafurther function of throwing the dog into dogging relation with its keeper as will now be explained.

A keeper 20 for the dog 9 is struck out of the bottom wall IQ of the track I0 adjacent its upper end. This keeper 20 has an inclined face up which the dog 9 rides and terminates in a shoulder which the dog engages to hold the lid'in dogged raised position. The keeper 20, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, extends a little less than half way across the track l0.

Since upon raising the lid it is essential that the dog 9 be required to travel up the inclined face of the keeper 29, and since upon closing the lid it is essential that the dog he disengaged from the keeper 2G, to this end a switching arrangement is provided. This switching arrangement, by way of example. may take the form of a separate insert 2| for the track member i6 or may be made .integral therewith. The switching insert comprises a cam member 22 which extends obliquely across the track |6 to the rear of the keeper 26 and inclined cam faces 26 termed the lowering trackway. The insert member 2| also has a raised portion 21 positioned aft of the keeper 26 and a turned up 'flange 26 extending forwardly from the raised portion 21 serve as a guide along one side of the keeper 26 to for guiding the dog 6 up the inclined faceof the keeper and retaining it in engagement with the keeper shoulder. Since the insert 2| is positioned in the channel track i6, the edge 26, Fig. 5, of the lowering trackway portion 26, which extends forwardly of the keeper 26, serves as a guide rail for keeping the dog 6 to one side, or in the raising trackway, of the track |6 as the lid is raised. Hence, the raising trackway portion may be considered as that portion 66 of the bottom of the track i6 extending to one side and along the lowering track member 26, inclined face of the keeper 26 and the raised portion 21 of the insert 2|. Now, it

1 will be noted that the switching cam 22 extends trackway 66. when the dog of the insert 2| as obliquely across both the raising and incoming trackways whereas the cam' 23 extends only across the lowering trackway 26 and the cam 24 extends from a side wall of the track i6 to the raising trackway 26.

The operation of the lidsupport is as follows: When the lid is in closed position, as shown in the dotted lines, Fig. 1, and the full lines, Fig. 3, the support rod 1 is positioned along the inner face of the lid with the dogging end 6 and slide l2 adjacent the bottom end of the track I.

the lid the rod 1 pivots upon the bracket 6 and the slide member i2 slides along the track |6 with the lower toward the top end. Upon traveling from the lower toward the top end of the track M the dog 6, if not already along the raising trackway side of the track I6, engages the cam switch 24 which throws the dog over into the raising trackway 66.- The edge 26 of the insert member 2| retains the dog 6 in the raising 6 reaches the keeper 26, it rides up the inclined-face and finally is thrownirlto dogging engagement with the shoulder of the keeper 26 by the'coil spring |1. At this time the lid is in supported raised position shown in the full lines, Fig. 1.

Upon raising 1T0 lower the lid, the 11a is first raised slightly above its supported raised position to a position indicated by the dotted lines, Fig. 1. This causes the dog 6 to move along the raised portion 21 indicated by the arrows until it engages the switch cam 22. The switch cam 22 switches the dog from the raising trackway to the lowering trackway 2|. The lid may now be lowered. At this time the dog travels along the lowering trackway 26 as indicated by the arrows. After being switched from the raising trackway 21 on to the lowering trackway 26 to the rear of the keeper 26, the dog 6 is thereafter prevented from returning to the raising trackway until it reaches a position ahead of the keeper 1 26 by the ridge 3| at the junction of the raised portion 21 and the track 26 and by the guide member 26. As the dog travels along the lowering trackway 26, it engages the switch cam face 26 which, as indicated by the arrows, throws the dog across the track toward the raising trackway and off the lowering track 26 whereupon the dog travels downwardly toward the lower end of the track |6 to its original position shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

From the above description it will be noted that the connection between the dog and the track is a floating connection permitting the dog to be shifted back and forth across the trackway to effect the automatic release as above-described. I

I claim: a

1. In combination with a support member and a lid member mounted on the support and arranged to be raised and lowered, a prop swingably mounted on one of said members, a track on the other of said-members having a raising trackway and a.lowering trackway, a keeper in said raising trackway adjacent the end of said raising trackway arranged to be engaged bysaid prop when the lid is raised, and switch means extending across the end of the raising trackway and across the beginning of the lowering trackway arranged to be engaged by said prop upon further raising of said lid to positively switch the prop out of engagement with the keeper and from the raising trackway directly into the lowering trackway to permit lowering of the lid.

2. In combination with a support member and V down and lateral movement, a track on the other of said members having a raising trackway and a lowering trackway, means operatively connecting the other end of the prop with the trackway, a

keeper in said raising trackway adjacent the'end of said raising trackway arranged to be engaged by the said prop when the lid is raised to support the said lid, and switch means extending across the end of the raising trackway and across the beginning of the lowering trackway arranged to be engaged by said prop by the said prop upon further raising of said lid to positively switch the prop laterally out of engagement with the keeper and from the raising trackway directly into the lowering trackway to permit lowering of" said lid. .3. In combination with a support member and a lid member mounted thereon and arranged to be raised and lowered, a prop pivotally mounted at one end on one of said members for up and down and lateral movement, a track on the other of said members having a raising trackway and a lowering trackway, means operatively connecting the other end of the prop with the trackway to permit this end of the prop to travel along the said track, a keeper in the said raising track adjacent the end of said raising trackway arraising of the lid to positively switch the prop to one side of the keeper and into the lowering trackway to permit lowering of the. said lid.

4. In combination with a support member and a lid member pivotally mounted thereon, a prop pivotally mounted at one end of one of said members, a track mounted on the other of said members having a raising trackway and a lowering trackway, the other end of the prop having a floating connection with the said trackway, a keeper positioned in the raising trackway arranged to be engaged by said prop when the lid is raised, and switch means positioned aft of the said keeper engageable by the other end of the prop upon iurther raising of said lid to switch the prop from the raising trackway to the lowering trackway to permit lowering of said lid.

' 5. In combination with a support member, a

. lid member pivotally mounted thereon, a prop pivotally mounted at one end on one of said members, a track on the other of said members having a raising trackway and a lowering trackway, the other end of the prop having a floating operative connection with the track, a keeper in "said raising trackway arranged to be engaged by the said 'prop when the lid is raised, guide means positioned lore of the keeper for keeping the doggingend of the prop in the raising trackway as the lid is being raised, switch means aft of the said keeper for switching the dogging end of the prop from the raising into the lowering trackway, and guide means positioned aft of the said keeper to maintain the dogging end of the prop in the lowering trackway during the loweringof the lid.

6. In combination with a support member, a lid member pivotally mounted thereon, a prop pivotally mounted at one end on one of said members, a track on the other of said members having a raising trackway and a lowering trackway, the other end of the prop having a floating operative connection with the track, a keeper in said raising trackway arranged to be engaged by the said prop when the lid is raised, guide means positioned tore of the keeper for keeping the'said other end of the prop in the raising trackway as the lid is being raised, switch means fore of the said keeper for throwing the said other end of the prop into the raising trackway when the lid is raised, and-switch means aft of the said keeper for switching the said other end of the prop from the raising into the lowering trackway, and guide means positioned aft of the said keeper to maintain the said other end of the prop in the lowering trackway during the lowering of the lid.

7. In combination with a support member, a lid member pivotally mounted thereon, a prop pivotally mounted at one end on one of said memhere, a track on the other of said members having a raising trackway and a lowering trackway, the other end of the prop having a floating operative connection with the trackway, a keeper in said raising trackway arranged to be engaged by the said prop when the lid is raised, guide means positioned fore of the keeper for keeping the said other end of the prop in the raising trackway as the lid is being raised, switch means fore of the Said keeper for throwing the said other end of the prop into the raising trackway when the lid is raised, switch means aft of the said keeper ior switching the said other end of the prop from the raising into the lowering trackway, and switch ,means positioned tore of the keeper in the lowering trackway for throwing the said other end of the prop from the lowering trackway into the raising trackway ahead of the said keeper, and guide means positioned aft of the said keeper to maintain the said other end 01 the prop in the lowering trackway during the lowering of the lid.

8. In combination with a support member and a lid member pivotally mounted thereon, a prop pivotally supported at one end on one of said members, a track on the other of said members having a raising trackway and a lowering trackway, a keeper in the said raising trackway, the other end of the prop being arranged to have a dogging engagement with the keeper when the lid is raised to supported position, a slide'member slidably mounted on the said trackway for retaining the dogging end of the prop in traveling engagement with the track, the dogging end of the said prop having a yieldable connection with the said slide which permits the dogging end of the prop to float in the trackway, cam

the dogging end of the prop upon further raising of the lid to switch the dogging end of the prop from the raising trackway to the lowering trackway to permit lowering of the lid.

9. The combination with a support member and a lid member pivotally mounted thereon, a prop pivotally mounted on one of said members and having the other end [in the form of a dog for dogging engagement with the keeper, a track on the other of said members having a raising trackway and a lowering trackway, a keeper in the said raising trackway arranged to be engaged by the dogging end of the prop when the lid is raised to supported position, a slide member having a sliding interengagement with the said track member, resilient means for interconnecting the slide and the dogging end of the prop and for yieldably holding the dogging end of the prop in slidend of the prop from the raising trackway to the lowering trackway when the lid is raised from supported position, and guide means fore of the said keeper for maintaining the dog ing end of the prop in the raising trackway as it is being raised, and guide means to the rear of the keeper for keeping the dogging end of the prop in the lowering trackway as the lid is being lowered.

10. In combination with a support member and a lid member mounted on the support and arranged to be raised and lowered, a prop swingably mounted on one of said members, a track in the form of a channel with side walls on the other of said members, the said prop having a floating operative connection with the said track, a keeper mounted on the bottom of the said track for engaging the floating end of the prop when the lid is raised to maintain the lid in raised position, the said keeper extending part way across the bottom 01' the said channel track, and an insert member arranged to be mounted in the said trackway fore and aft of the said keeper, the said insert comprising a flat strip of metal having an upstanding portion extending obliquely across the channel to the rear of the keeper and a raised portion extending part way across the channel taining the prop to one side of the keeper as the 75 lid is lowered to prevent reengagement of the prop with the keeper.

11. In combination with'a support member and a lid member mounted on the support and arranged to be raised and lowered, a prop swingably mounted on one of said members, a. track in the form of a channel with side walls on the other of said members, the said prop having a floating operative connection with the said track, a keeper mounted on the bottom of the said track for engaging the floating end of the prop when the lid is raised to maintain the lid in raised position, the said keeper 'extendlng part way across the bottom 01 the said channel track, and an insert member arranged 'to be mounted in the said trackway fore and aft of the said keeper, the said insert comprising a fiat strip of metal 9,056,799 v having an upstanding portion extending obliquely across the channel to the rear of the keeper and a raised portion extending part way across the channel between the oblique cam and the keeper whereby when the lid is raised from supported position the prop is shifted by the oblique cam across the trackway to one side of the keeper and the raised portion of the insert serves as a guide for maintaining the prop to one side of the keeper as the lid is lowered to prevent reengagement of the prop with the keeper, and a second cam at the other end of the insert ahead of the keeper and to one side for shifting the end of the prop part way across the track upon lowering the lid so that it is again positioned ahead of and in line with the keeper. v

FRANK C. MCCORKELL. 

